Clamp and rotating mechanism for industrial trucks



Sept. 18, 1956 F. J. VANDEMARK 2,753,390

CLAMP AND ROTATING MECHANISM FOR INDUSTRIAL TRUCKS Filed Nov. 12, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. I

INVENTOR. FRED J. VANDEMARK ATTYS.

Sept. 18. 1956 F, J. VANDEMARK 2,763,390

CLAMP AND ROTATING MECHANISM FOR INDUSTRIAL TRUCKS Filed NOV. 12, 1952 2 Sheefs-Sheet 2 l l' I I '7 i I I I l I I Q 1 1' i Q 9 I i I I --L J+iL1 3 m 3 Q) N INVENTOR. (\l E FRED J. VANDEMARK BY Q LL ATTYS.

United States PatentO CLAMP AND ROTATING MECHANISM FOR INDUSTRIAL TRUCKS Fred J. Vandemark, Memphis, Tenn., assignor to Fred J. Vandemark Company, Memphis, Team, a corporation of Tennessee Application November 12, 1952, Serial No. 320,027 Claims. (Cl. 214-653) My present invention relates generally to a clamp and rotating mechanism and, more specifically, is directed to a clamp and rotating mechanism for use with industrial lift trucks.

It is an object of my present invention to provide a clamp mechanism of a character permitting an engaged load to be moved toward and away from the industrial truck thereby facilitating the engagement, transportation and depositing of the load.

It is a further object of my present invention to provide a clamp and rotating mechanism capable of engaging a load directly forwardly of the truck and then depositing the load at either side of the truck, or engaging a load at either side of the truck and then depositin'g'the load directly forwardly of the truck, or engaging a load at one side of the truck and depositing the load at the other side of the truck.

It is another object of my present invention to provide a clamp and rotating mechanism, as described, which is capable of engaging and depositing'loads between adjacent tiers.

' My present invention comprises a boom support member secured to the load supporting carriage :of an industrial truck. Mounted for rotary movement about a vertical axis within the boom support member is a saddle support member to which-at the upper end is secured the inner end of a horizontal forwardly projecting boom assembly. In the preferred embodiment of my present invention, the boom assembly comprisesga first horizontal forwardly extending slide assembly carried by the saddle support member. A second slide assembly is mounted for rectilinear movementin the first slide assembly and a third slide assembly .is mounted for rectilinear movement in the second slide assembly. A vertically downwardly extending rearclamp pad is secured to the rear end of the second-slide assembly and a vertically downwardly extending forward clamp pad is secured to the forward end of the third-slide assembly. Suitable actuating means, preferably in-the form of :hydraulic piston and cylinder assemblies,-are-mounted between the first and secondslide assemblies, and between the second and third slide assemblies. By virtue of this arrangement, the clamp pads may be selectively urged toward and away from each other and the clamp pads may be moved as a unit toward and away from'the load supporting carriage of the industrial truck.

In the operation of my invention, the clamp pads may be moved as a unit awayfrom the load supporting carriage and disposed in engagement with a load-,such as a cotton bale, after which the clamp pads andload may be retracted as a unit toward-the load supporting carriage to facilitate transportation of the'load'to the place of deposit. Means are provided .forrotatingthe saddle support member and the :forwardly'extending boom assembly, and thus itwill be apparentithatta load may be engaged directly forwardly of theftruck and then deposited 'at eitherside of the truck or vice-versa.

Also, since the clamp pads and loadmay be move'd as 2,763,390 Patented Sept. 18, 1956 a unit toward and away from the load supporting carriage, it should be realized that the load may be engaged or deposited at varying distances from the industrial truck. Since the boom extends above the load, adjacent tiers do not have to be broken away to permit access to the load to be engaged or to permit depositing of the load.

It is a feature of my present invention that a lost-motion connection is provided between the hydraulic piston and cylinder assembly, which extends betweenthe first and second slide assemblies, and the second slide assembly, which lost-motion connection permits equalization of the pressures exerted by the clamp pads during gripping of a load.

It is still another feature of my present invention that forwardly extending horizontal header feet are supported from the boom support member. The header feet are adapted to be disposed beneath a load lying on its side and then raised with the load supporting carriage for upending the load on its head end.

Now, in order to acquaint those skilled in the art with the manner of constructing and using clamp and rotating mechanisms in accordance with the principles of my present invention, I shall describe in connection with the accompanying drawings, a preferred embodiment of my present invention.

-In the drawings:

Figure l is a perspective view of an industrial truck with which the clamp and rotating mechanism of my present invention has been embodied;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the clamp and rotating mechanism of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the clamp and rotating mechanism of Figure 1.

Referring now to Figure 1, there is indicated generally by the reference numeral 10 an industrial truck havingforward driving wheels 12 and rear steering wheels 13 with a generally vertically extending mast construction 14 being secured to the forward end of the industrial truck intermediate of the forward drive wheels 12. The mast assembly 14 comprises outer channel members 16 secured at their lower ends to the industrial truck with inner channel members 13 being slidably mounted in the channel members 16. A cross head 20 is secured to the upper ends of the inner channel members 18 and the cross head 20 carries sprockets 22 over which'are trained chains 24 secured at their one ends to the'fixed .channel members 16 and at their other ends to a load supporting carriage 26 slidably mountedyin the inner'chann'el members 18. A vertically extending hydraulic piston and cylinder assembly 27 is provided for effecting vertical movement of the inner channel members 18 and load supporting carriage 26. The load supporting carriage 26 includes transversely extending upper and lower bar members 28 and 30.

My present invention comprises a boom support member'31 having a plate member 32 mounted to the upper bar member 28 by means of flanges 34 and secured to the lower bar member 30 by means of bolts 36, .The boom support member'lsl project-s forwardly from the load supporting carriage 26. v

A saddle support member 40 having a vertically downwardly extending shaft portion 42 is supported for rotary movement in the boom support member 31 at the forward cured to the boom support member 31 by means of a plurality of bolts 58.

Mounted for limited rotary movement with the saddle support member 40 is a horizontal forwardly extending boom, indicated generally by the referencenumeral 60, which comprises an outer slide assembly including spaced apart facing C-shaped channel members 62 secured at their rear ends to the upper end of the saddle support member 40. Slidably mounted'in the outer channel members 62 is an intermediate slide assembly including C- shaped channel members 64, in which, in turn is slidably mounted an inner slide assembly including C-shaped channel members 66. The outer channel members 62 adjacent their forward and rearward ends are interconnected by brace members 68. interconnecting the intermediate channel members 64, respectively, at the rearward and forward ends thereof, are strap members 70 and 72. The inner channel members 66 are interconnected at their forward ends by means of a strap member 74.

Extending lengthwise of the boom assembly 60 at one side thereof is a hydraulic piston andcylinder assembly indicated generally by the reference numeral 76 which comprises a cylinder 78 secured at its rear end to the saddle support member 4-0. The assembly 76 further comprises a piston rod 80 at the outer end of which is mounted a collar member 82 which is arranged for limited sliding movement relative to a bracket 84 is secured to the strap member 72. A 1ostmotion connection is thus provided between the piston rod 80 and the intermediate channel members 64, the extent of which is established by stop members 86 and 88. i

A second hydraulic piston and cylinder assembly 90 is mounted lengthwise of the boom assembly 68 at the opposite side thereof as the hydraulic piston and cylinder assembly 76.

interconnecting the rear ends of the intermediate channel members 64. The assembly 90 further comprises a piston rod 94 which, at its outer end, is suitably secured to the strap member 74 interconnecting the forward end-s of the inner channel members 66. As best shown in Figure 3, a downwardly extending rear clamp pad 96 is secured, by means of a plurality of bolts 97, to the intermediate slide assembly at the rear end thereof and a downwardly The assembly 90 comprises a cylinder 92 which is secured at its rear end to the strap member 70 extending forward clamp pad 98 is suitably secured to the forward end of the inner slide assembly. These clamp pads are adapted to be cooperatively employed for engaging the opposite ends of a load such as a bale of cotton.

Slidably mounted in the boom support member 31 at each side thereof is a vertically extending header foot shaft 100 to which at the lower end is secured the rear end of a forwardly horizontally extending header foot 102. A stop member 104 is secured to the upper end of each of the shafts 100.

I shall now describe the operation of my present invention. If it is desired to engage a commodity such as a cotton bale with the clamp and rotating mechanism of my present invention, the operator of the truck need only position the truck so that the forward end of the boom 60 faces the load to be engaged. The load supporting carriage 26 of the industrial truck is then raised until the lower edge of the forward clamp pad 98 is above the upper surface of the load to be engaged. Fluid under pressure is then admitted to the rear end of the cylinder 78 of the assembly 76 for extending the piston rod 80. Upon extension of the piston rod 80 the stop member. 86

engages the bracket member 84 and causes the intermediate channel members 64 to be extended. When the boom 60 engages the upper surface of the load. At this point, fluid under pressure is admitted to the forward end of the cylinder 92 of the actuating assembly 90 for retracting the piston rod 94 together with the inner channel members 66 and the clamp pad 98. During this clamping action, the rear clamp pad 96 adjusts itself to the cotton bale as the forward clamp pad 98 provides the clamping force. This self-adjustment of the rear clamp pad 96, which I have just described, is permitted by virtue of the lost-motion connection between the piston rod "of the actuating assembly 76 and the bracket member 84 carried by the intermediate channel members 64.

After the cotton bale has' been securely clamped between the clamp pads 96 and 98, fluid under pressure is admitted to the forward end of the cylinder 78 of the actuating assembly 76 for retracting the piston rod 80 together with the intermediate channel members 64 substantially to the position shown in Figure 1. After the load has been engaged and during transportation of the load to a place of deposit, the load may be raised or lowered, as required.

After the truck has been driven to the location where the load is to be deposited, it will be noted that the load may be deposited either in front of the truck or to either side thereof. That is to say, the hydraulic fluid motor 52 may be suitably actuated for rotating the saddle support member 40 together with the boom 60. For example, if the load is to be deposited at the right side of theindustrial truck, fluid under pressure is admitted to the fluid motor 52 for effecting rotation of the boom 60 clockwise as viewed in Figure 2. After the boom 60 has been swung to a position at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the truck, fluid under pressure may be admitted to the rear end of the cylinder 78 of the actuating assembly 76 for extending the piston rod80 together with the intermediate channel members 64 until the load lies above the place of deposit. If necessary, the load supporting carriage may be lowered to dispose the lower surface of the load in engagement with the adjacent supporting surface. -Thereafter, fluid under pressure may be admitted to the rear end'of the cylinder 92 of the actuating assem- -bly for extending the piston rod 94 and the inner channel members 66 until the load is released from the clamp pads 96 and 98. Then, the load supporting carriage may be raised until the forward clamp pad 98 clears the upper surface of the load, after which the inner and intermediate channel members may be retracted in the manner hereinbefore described. The boom 60 may then be swung back to the position shown in Figure 1 and the truck driven away. Itis of course to be understood that the mechanism of my present invention is also capable of engaging a load at either side of the truck and then depositing the load directly forwardly of the truck or engaging a load at one side of the truck and then depositing the load at the other side of the truck.

Since the clamp mechanismof my invention engages a load from above, rather than at the sides, loads may be engaged and deposited between adjacent tiers without the necessity of. the adjacent tiers being broken away. .A further feature of my present invention resides in the provision of the header feet 102. After a load, which has been lying on one side, is withdrawn from a stack, in the manner hereinbefore. described, the load may be de posited adjacent the forward end of the truck and the header feet102 disposed therebeneathr The load supporting carriage 26 may then be raised which will cause the end of the load lying on the header feet 102 to be raised and the load thus upending on its head end. The boom support member 31, although normally supporting the header foot shafts 100 through the stop members 104, is free to move relative to the shafts 100 when the header feet 102 engage the ground, thus permitting loads lying on the ground to be engaged by my aforedescribed clamp mechanism without interference by the header feet.

Now, while I have shown and described what I believe tobe a preferred embodiment of my present invention, it will be understood that various modifications and rearrangements may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of my present invention.

I claim:

1. For use with an industrial truck having an upwardly and downwardly movable load supporting carriage, clamp means comprising a first horizontal forwardly extending slide assembly, means sup-porting said first slide assembly on said load supporting carriage for movement toward and away therefrom, a first vertically downwardly extending clamp pad secured to said first slide assembly at the inner end thereof, a second slide assembly mounted for rectilinear movement in said first slide assembly, asecond vertically downwardly extending clamp pad secured to said second slide assembly at the outer end thereof, and means carried by said first slide assembly and having connection with said second slide assembly for effecting movement of the latter relative to said first slide assembly whereby said first and second clamp pads may be independently urged toward each other for gripping a load therebetween.

2. For use with an industrial truck having an upwardly and downwardly movable load supporting carriage, clamp means comprising a first horizontal forwardly extend-ing slide assembly, means for mounting said first slide assembly to the carriage for movement toward and away therefrom, said last-named means including means for effecting rotary movement of said first slide assembly in a horizontal plane, a first vertically downwardly extending clamp pad secured to said first slide assembly at the inner end thereof, a second slide assembly mounted for rectilinear movement in said first slide assembly; a second vertically downwardly extending clamp pad secured to said second slide assembly at the outer end thereof, and means carried by said first slide assembly and having connection with said second slide assembly for efiecting movement of the latter relative to said first slide assembly whereby said first and second clamp pads may be independently urged toward each other for gripping aload therebetween.

3. For use with an industrial truck having an'upwardly and downwardly movable load supporting carriage, clamp means comprising a first horizontal forwardly extending slide assembly, means for mounting said first slide assembly to the carriage for movement toward and away from each other, a lost-motion connection between said first slide assembly andsaid mounting means, a first vertically downwardly extending clamp pad secured to said first slide assembly at the inner end thereof, a second slide assembly mounted for rectilinear movement in said first slide assembly, a second vertically downwardly extending clamp pad secured to said second slide assembly at the outer end thereof, means carried by said first slide assembly and having connection with said second slide assembly for effecting movement of the latter relative to said first slide assembly whereby said first and second clamp pads may be independently urged toward each other for gripping a load therebetween, and said lost motion connection permitting equalization of the pressures exerted by said clamp pads during gripping of a load.

4. For use with an industrial truck having an upwardly and downwardly movable load supporting carriage, clamp means comprising a first horizontal forwardly extending slide assembly carried by the load supporting carriage, a

second slide assembly mounted for rectilinear movement in said first slide assembly, a first downwardly extending clamp pad secured to said second slide assembly at the inner end thereof, a third slide assembly mounted for rectilinear movement in said second slide assembly, a second vertically downwardly extending clamp pad secured to said third slide assembly at the outer end thereof, means carried by said first slide assembly and having connection with said second slide assembly for effecting movement of the latter relative to said first slide assembly whereby said first and second clamp pads may be moved as a unit toward and away from the load supporting carriage, and means carried by said second slide assembly and having connection with said third slide assembly for effecting movement of the latter relative to said second slide assembly whereby said first and second clamp pads may be independently urged toward each other for gripping a load therebetween.

5. For use with an industrial truck having an upwardly and downwardly movable load supporting carriage, clamp means comprising a first horizontal forwardly extending slide assembly carried by the load supporting carriage, a second slide assembly mounted for rectilinear movement in said first slide assembly, a first vertically downwardly extending clamp pad secured to said second slide assembly at the inner end thereof, a third slide assembly mounted for rectilinear movement in said second slide assembly, a second vertically downwardly extending clamp pad secured to said third slide assembly at the outer end thereof, means carried by said first slide assembly and having connection with said second slide assembly for effecting movement of the latter relative to said first slide assembly whereby said first and second clamp pads may be moved as a unit toward and away from the load supporting carriage, a lost-motion connection between said lastnamed means and said second slide assembly, means carried by said second slide assembly and having connection with said third s'lide assembly for effecting movement of the later relative to said second slide assembly whereby said first and second clamp pads may be independently urged toward each other for gripping a load therebetween, and said lost-motion connection permitting equalization of the pressures exerted by said clamp pads during gripping of a load.

6. For use with an industrial truck having an upwardly and downwardly movable load supporting carriage, clamp and rotating means comprising a first horizontal forwardly extending slide assembly, means carried by the load supporting carriage and having connection with said first slide assembly for effecting rotary movement of the latter in a horizontal plane, a second slide assembly mounted for rectilinear movement in said first slide assembly, a first vertically downwardly extending clamp pad secured to said second slide assembly at the inner end thereof, a third slide assembly mounted for rectilinear movement in said second slide assembly, a second verticallydownwardly extending clamp pad secured to said third slide assembly at the outer end thereof, means carried by said first slide assembly and having connection with said second slide assembly for effecting movement of the latter relative to said first slide assembly whereby said first and second clamp pads may be moved as a unit toward and away from the load supporting carriage, a lost-motion connection between said last-named means and said second slide assembly, means carried by said second slide assembly and having connection with said third slide assembly for effecting movement of the latter relative to said second slide assembly whereby said first and second clamp pads may be urged toward each other for gripping a load therebetween, and said lost-motion connection permitting equalization of the pressures exerted by said clamp pads during gripping of a load.

7. For use with an industrial truck having an upwardly and downwardly movable load supporting carriage, clamp and rotating means comprising a boom support member secured to the load supporting carriage, a saddle support member mounted for rotary movement about a vertical axis at the forward end of said boom support member, motor means for effecting rotary movement of said saddle support member, a first horizontal forwardly extending slide assembly secured at its inner end to said saddle support member, a second slide assembly mounted for rectilinear movement in said first slide assembly, a first vertically downwardly extending clamp pad secured to said second slide assembly at the inner end thereof, a third slide assembly mounted for rectilinear movement in said second slide assembly, a second vertically downwardly extending clamp pad secured to said third slide assembly at the outer end thereof, a first hydraulic piston and cylinder assembly having the cylinder thereof secured to said first slide assembly and the piston rod thereof mounted to said second slide assembly for effecting movement of the latter relative to said first slide assembly whereby said first and second clamp pads may be moved as a unit toward and away from the load supporting carriage, a lost-motion connection between the piston rod of said first hydraulic piston and cylinder assembly and said second slide assembly, a second hydraulic piston and cylinder assembly having the cylinder thereof secured to said second slide assembly and the piston rod thereof secured to said third slide assembly for effecting movement of the latter relative to said second slide assembly whereby said first and second clamp pads may be urged toward each other for gripping a load therebetween, and said lost-motion connection permitting equalization of the pressures exerted by said clamp pads during gripping of a load.

8. For use with an industrial truck having an upwardly and downwardly movable load supporting carriage, clamp means comprising a first horizontal forwardly extending slide assembly carried by the load supporting carriage, a first vertically downwardly extending clamp pad secured to said first slide assembly at the inner end thereof, a second slide assembly mounted for rectilinear movement in said first slide assembly, a second vertically downwardly extending clamp pad secured to said second slide assembly at the outer end thereof, and means carried by said first slide assembly and having connection with said second slide assembly for effecting movement of the latter relative to said first slide assembly whereby said first and second clamp pads may be urged toward each other for gripping a load therebetween, horizontal header feet supported by and extending forwardly from the load supporting carriage, and said header feet being adapted to be disposed beneath a load lying on its side and then raised with the load supporting carriage for upending the load on its head end.

9. For use with an industrial truck having an upwardly and downwardly movable load supporting carriage, clamp means comprising a first horizontal forwardly extending slide assembly carried by the load supporting carriage, a second slide assembly mounted for rectilinear movement in said first slide assembly, a first downwardly extending clamp pad secured to said second slide assembly at the inner end thereof, a third slide assembly mounted for rectilinear movement in said second slide assembly, a second vertically downwardly extending clamp pad secured to said third slide assembly at the outer end thereof, means carried by said first slide assembly and having connection with said second slide assembly for effecting movement of the latter relative to said first slide assembly whereby said first and second clamp pads may be moved as a unit toward and away from the load supporting carriage, and means carried by said second slide assembly and having connection with said third slide assembly for effecting movement of the latter relative to said second slide assembly whereby said first and second clamp pads may be urged toward each other for gripping a load therebetween, horizontal header feet supported by and extending forwardly from the load supporting carriage, and said header feet being adapted to be disposed beneath a load lying on its side and then raised with the load supporting carriage for upending the load on its head end.

10. For use with an industrial truck having an upwardly and downwardly movable load supporting carriage, clamp and rotating means comprising a boom support member secured to the load supporting carriage, a saddle support member mounted for rotary movement about a Vertical axis at the forward end of said boom support member, motor means for effecting rotary movement of said saddle support member, a first horizontal forwardly extending slide assembly secured at its inner end to said saddle support member, a second slide assembly mounted for rectilinear movement in said first slide assembly, a first vertically downwardly extending clamp pad secured to said second slide assembly at the inner end thereof, a third slide assembly mounted for rectilinear movement in said second slide assembly, a second vertically downwardly extending clamp pad secured to said third slide assembly at the outer end thereof, a first hydraulic piston and cylinder assembly having the cylinder thereof secured to said first slide assembly and the piston rod thereof mounted to said second slide assembly for effecting movement of the latter relative to said first, slide assembly whereby said first and second clamp pads may be moved as a unit toward and away from the load supporting carriage, a lost-motion connection between the piston rod of said first hydraulic piston and cylinder assembly and said second slide assembly, a second hydraulic piston and cylinder assembly having the cylinder thereof secured to said second slide assembly and the piston rod thereof secured to said third slide assembly for eifectin g movement of the latter relative to said second slide assembly whereby said first and second clamp pads may be urged toward each other for gripping a load therebetween, and said lostmotion connection permitting equalization of the pressures exerted by said clamp pads during gripping of a load, vertically extending shafts mounted for limited vertical movement in said boom support member, horizontal header feet secured to the lower ends of said shafts and extending forwardly therefrom, and said header feet being adapted to be disposed beneath a load lying on its side and then raised with the load supporting carriage for upending the load on its head end.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 11,164 Kennedy et al May 5, 1891 484,870 Babbitt Oct. 25, 1892 2,571,550 Ehmann Oct. 16, 1951 2,586,843 McDonald Feb. 26, 1952 2,596,477 Frischmann et al. May 13, 1952 2,611,498 Broersma Sept. 23, 1952 2,626,722 Talbott Jan. 27, 1953 2,655,278 Daniels Oct. 13, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 383,706 Great Britain Nov. 24, 1932 

